


Rotten Cherries

by Spaghettibopp



Category: Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Gen, Hoarding, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Mental Health Issues, Mentions of Rotten Food, References to Depression, Though that can also be read either way, the sayonika is kinda implied and can be read either way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:13:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26013175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spaghettibopp/pseuds/Spaghettibopp
Summary: All around her, the house seems to lean into her space. It brushes against her shoulders with cardboard boxes and kicks her knees with antique furniture. There is no floor among the mess, and what little bits of surface she can see are covered in leaves dragged in from outside. She moves faster, as fast as she can without having to worry about tipping over some of the more precarious stack of objects.---Monika visits Sayori's house, but isn't quite ready to see what she finds there.
Relationships: Monika & Sayori (Doki Doki Literature Club!), Monika/Sayori (Doki Doki Literature Club!)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 38





	Rotten Cherries

**Author's Note:**

> I have written two messy fics to procrastinate editing two slightly less messy fics.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

She plucks a moldy cherry from the bottom, holds it delicately between two fingers.

They’re all bad, she decides. There isn’t a cherry in the bag worth saving.

She dumps it into the trash and turns back to the open fridge. She’s met with stacks of plastic containers, the contents of which are obscured by mold and rot. Whatever space is unoccupied by the containers is instead crammed full of fruits and vegetables that have been left to be forgotten. The only thing still somewhat edible is the milk, which she knows Sayori uses for cereal every morning.

_It’s all bad._ And she closes the fridge without even touching the milk she had wanted for her coffee.

She kicks away the dirty dish rags that try to slip her up, moves them to join the pile of miscellaneous laundry in the corner. 

She grabs her to-go cup without even glancing at the sink and starts heading back up to Sayori’s room. All around her, the house seems to lean into her space. It brushes against her shoulders with cardboard boxes and kicks her knees with antique furniture. There is no floor among the mess, and what little bits of surface she can see are covered in leaves dragged in from outside. She moves faster, as fast as she can without having to worry about tipping over some of the more precarious stack of objects. She almost slips on a trash bag draped over part of the stairs, but she manages to catch herself and reach Sayori’s bedroom with little trouble.

As soon as she closes the door, she lets herself breathe. The stale stench isn’t as strong here, and the mess isn’t nearly as bad. Sure, there are empty pill bottles scattered across a desk, and clothes in mounds by the closet, but there is a relatively clean carpet beneath her feet and space to move around, and that’s all- that’s all Monika needs right now.

Sayori doesn’t look at her. “Did you get what you needed? For your coffee?” The last part is added as a courtesy, a thinly veiled cover-up to partially disguise what Sayori is truly asking.

“No.” She watches the way her friend flinches, though they both knew that would be her answer. She realizes that she could say something here, something cruel, and that would be acceptable to her friend. 

She could say, _I realized I didn’t want it as bad as I thought I did._

Instead, she says, “Will you go home with me?”

Sayori looks at her, now. Her blue eyes are wide, her mouth is agape. There is a flash of something across her face that is quickly overcome by a look of resignation.

“I’m not sure my mom would be okay with that.”

Monika thinks about the boxes outside, the clothes and knicknacks scattered around, the rotten food in the fridge. She considers the way Sayori had explicitly asked her to be quiet, and to leave as soon as her mother woke up. 

_How many years has it been like this?_

“Then maybe you could ask her for me. Later, I mean.” Monika tries to smile, but it’s as plastic as the toys from Sayori’s childhood, still waiting for her just outside the door. Sayori nods and looks at her hands with the guilt of a criminal.

Monika sets her coffee down and sits on the bed with her. She gently takes those hands, always so warm in her grasp, and laces their fingers together.

“Why don’t we clean up a bit? An organized space is key to good mental health.” She uses her ‘president’ voice, giving advice and direction as though she has any idea of what she’s doing. Sayori nods along, but she does not meet her eyes.

Sayori finds a bag to put her dirty clothes into while Monika tries to scratch off the personal information on the pill bottles.

“That’s why I haven’t thrown them away. It’s such a pain to get that off. And I guess I’m too lazy to bother.” The following laugh is empty, a pitiful attempt at making light of the self-deprecation.

“Yeah, I get that.”

By the time Sayori is done with some of the clothes, Monika is only through with one bottle. Pieces of the sticker and its glue are stuck beneath her fingernails as she peels away the word “Fluoxetine” and flicks it into the trash.

“Need some help?” Monika dimly registers a hand grabbing an empty bottle and hears the gentle tear of Sayori peeling off the sticker.

“These are impossible.” She picks at the bits of paper still stuck to the bottle.

“You don’t have to get it _all_ off.” Sayori giggles a little beside her. “Just get the important stuff and rip that up.”

She glances up to see Sayori smiling at her with amusement in her eyes. Heat travels up Monika’s neck and onto her face, and she ducks back down hoping that Sayori didn’t see it. “It’s still difficult….” 

They continue to work in comforting silence, stuck in a bubble together that neither time nor worry could reach.

It isn’t until Monika notices the golden light of sunset cascading over them that she realizes she should go home- hopefully with Sayori. _She deserves at least one night away from this place._

“Hey,” her voice is soft, hesitant to break the moment between them. Sayori looks at her, head cocked a little to the side. “I was going to head out. Do you want me to wait outside while you ask your mom if you can come?”

“Yeah. That’s a good idea.”

Sayori smiles at her in a way that’s so precious, so fragile. It makes Monika’s heart twist as she tries to memorize it, tries to _protect_ it.

“Alright then. I’ll be waiting for you.” She winks as she stands up, stalling for a moment to allow Sayori to lead her out of the bedroom.

The heaps of clutter greet them eagerly, arms of every kind of material reaching out to touch them as they go by. Through the hall, down the stairs, through the living room. Monika came in through the backdoor, but she had passed the living room on her way to Sayori’s room. There are two seats available out of what should have ten, situated so that the occupants could still watch TV through the mess. Discarded plates of dinners past rest on the coffee table, and that’s as much as Monika can will herself to see as she makes her way to the door.

She slips out without a problem, giving a small smile to Sayori before the front door closes. Then, she waits across the street, trying not to look as out of place as she feels.

The light is quickly fading when Sayori finally emerges, a gym bag on her shoulder and a careful smile on her face. She meets Monika on the other side of the road and immediately takes her hand.

Monika pretends not to notice how bulky the bag is, doesn’t question if it’s all necessary for a simple overnight stay. “Ready?” 

Sayori takes a moment, breathing in the fresh, clean air. Then, she nods. 

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing more romantic than peeling off the stickers to your antidepressants with your crush, right?
> 
> Also! Thank you again to my friend who looked this over for me! I really appreciate you entertaining my nonsense <3


End file.
